BURUNDI-POLITICS/ANALYSIS Burundi crisis deepens as vote looms.

Record ID: 147043

  • Title: BURUNDI-POLITICS/ANALYSIS Burundi crisis deepens as vote looms.
  • Date: 13th July 2015
  • Summary: KAGUNGA, TANZANIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF REFUGEES IN MAKESHIFT TENTS MORE OF REFUGEES, WITH LAKE TANGANYIKA IN BACKGROUND REFUGEES AND THEIR BELONGINGS IN MAKESHIFT TENTS REFUGEES WAITING ON SHORES OF LAKE TANGANYIKA
  • Embargoed: 28th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAF5I3IRSF4A6MSWYPPWC719UHH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: ===PLEASE NOTE THIS EDIT CONTAINS SOME 4:3 MATERIAL===
    Despite the postponement of presidential polls, a contested legislative election held two weeks ago, and boycotted by opposition, and growing unrest country, President Pierre Nkurunziza continues to campaign for president.
    The announcement of his re-election bid triggered weeks of protests in April.
    The president cites a court ruling saying he can run again.
    On Saturday July 11, the government announced that the presidential elections have been postponed to July 21 from July 15, in response to a request from leaders of east African states plus South Africa, to give time for the mediator, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to try to broker a deal between the opposing groups.
    The opposition is boycotting the election, saying a decision by President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a third term is unconstitutional.
    "This postponement is to say to the regional heads of state; we have followed up on your recommendations from the Dar es Salaam summit on July 6th. But in reality, it means nothing. Now we are being told that there is a mediator, in reality that mediator is the one who should come, assess the situation and talk to the concerned parties and see if what was decided on July 6th is the reality on the ground," said Frederique Bamvuginyumvira, Vice President of Frodebu opposition party.
    The constitution requires an election is held at least a month before the end of the president's term, which is August 26.
    The government maintains that an election must be held before that date, but that it welcomes the opposition to continue voicing their grievances.
    "The government has postponed the elections for three times now, the dialogue has been going on, and it will go on even after the elections. This is an affair for Burundians to manage. The dialogue will not stop because the elections has ended," said presidential spokesperson, Gervais Abyeho.
    But the crisis is escalating. Grenade blasts in Bujumbura have become frequent.
    On Sunday (July 12), a regional governor said that Burundi's army had captured and killed scores of gunmen in two days of clashes in the north.
    A rebel general, who was involved in a failed coup attempt in May, told Reuters this week he and his comrades were mobilizing forces to topple Nkurunziza.
    In the streets of the capital Bujumbura, opinions over the current crisis are mixed.
    "In my opinion, those who say that elections should be postponed, don't expect or want much from them. For the rest of us, these elections will take place, without any problems," said one Bujumbura resident, Etienne Iradukunda.
    "Right now, we are all suffering, there is no security, grenades keep going off day and night and it's hard to feel safe. We want them to get together and talk so we can go back to the way things were," said another Bujumbura resident, Jean Claude Ntahimpera.
    The recent clashes have raised fears of a return to civil war.
    The U.S. State Department said on Friday it was "deeply concerned by reports that fighting has broken out in several areas of Burundi and by recently broadcast remarks by Burundians threatening to use force against the government".
    The government says any attempt to destabilize Burundi would be met by the security forces.
    "The likelihood of a civil war is very high; there is no question about that. That's why the president should rethink his policy and give room to the principles of peace to work," said international relations expert Macharia Munene. .
    Analysts warn that the ongoing crisis could push Burundi to the brink of economic collapse, and could drag in regional players, as Burundian refugees continue to stream into neighbouring countries.
    "So for Burundi to become a pariah state within region is something that should concern all the people of Burundi, and not just a few. The president Nkurunziza, who is still president, he should take the interests of Burundi a little more seriously," added Munene.
    More than 145,000 Burundians - almost 1.5 percent of the population - have already fled across borders.
    A flare-up in Burundi risks repercussions well beyond the borders of this small nation of 10 million people and will create fresh instability in a region with a history of ethnic conflict.
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